Electrical receptacle



1,882MSU Oct. M, 1.932%.

H. HUBBELL,- JR

ELECTRICAL REGEPTACLE Filed Aug. 17. 1928 Patented @et. 11, 1932 retreat HARVEY HUIBBELL, JR., OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT ELECTRICAL REGEPTACLE Application filed August 17 1928. Serial No. 300,366.

This invention relates to electric wall devices, particularly receptacles and the like, which are mounted in wall outlet boxes, and has for an object to provide an improved 5, means for mounting the electrical device which will do away with the necessity of molding inserts into the insulating body member.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mounting for this class of devices which will be much stronger and less likel to fail than those now generally employe It is a further object to provide a mounting which is much easier and simpler to assemble. With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing. In this .drawing,

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation and partial section of an outlet receptacle showing my invention applied thereto.

- Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a top plan or front view of a portion of one side of the device showing a slightly different construction, and

Fig. 5 is an end view ofthe construction shown in Fig. 4.

In the drawing, I have illustrated my invention as applied to an electric receptacle to receive thecontract blades of an attachment plug cap, although it is not confined to use with such a device, as it may be used for mountin switches or' similar devices if desired. A %ody 10 of insulating material, such as porcelain or molded phenolic condensation product, as for example bakelite, has

chambers 11 for receiving the spring contacts 12. These chambers in the present con-- struction open through the rear wall of the body, and the front wall of the body is provided with knife blade slots 13 for entrance of the knife blade contacts of attachment plug caps for engagement with the spring contacts 12. It will, of course, be understood the'contacts12 are connected to the house wiring system in the usual manner. 0 The rear wall of the'insulating body is covered with an insulating plate 14, usually of suitable fibre, which closes the rear entrances to the chambers 11 and also retains the contacts 12 in the chambers. The body is mounted in and is carried by a support 15. at In the present construction this comprises a substantially U-shaped metal stra with the connecting portion thereof exten ing across the rear wall of the body outside the plate 14 and with the legs or side portions 16 extending along the opposite sides of the body toward the front thereof. At their front ends these side portions have laterally extending ears-17 whereby the device maybe mounted in a wall outlet box, not shown, in the usual manner. For this purpose these ears are provided with elongated openings 18 for the usual securing screws used for mounting it in the wall box, and the ears also have the tapped openings 19 for the screws used to mount the usual cover or finishing plate.

At the present time a'common way of securing the body to the support is to mold an insert inthe form of aneyelet or rivet in the center of the rear wall of the body and pass its projecting end through an opening in the connecting wall 15 of the support and rivet the end thereof over it. This involves the proper positioning of the'insert in the hot molds, and it will be apparent that as there is considerable distance between this insert or rivet and the cars 17 it will be comparatively easy to bend or break the support at this rivet. 4

To overcome these objections I have provided each of the side members 16, preferably adjacent its forward or free end, with a hook 20, and this hook may be formed by cutting a tongue on three sides from the legs 16; then When the ears 17 are bent laterally this tongue will extend inwardly as shown, and the free I end of this tongue is bent downwardly to form a hook. The body membeflO is formed with recesses 21 extending inwardly from the front F wall thereof and spaced from the sides of the body as indicated to provide shoulders to cooperate with these hooks. Before assembling, the side members 15 are inclined outwardly, as indicated in dottedlines, Fig.1,

so as to leave room for insertion of thebody 5 their hooked ends seated in the recesses 21.

It will now be apparent that these hooks cooperate with the connecting wall 15 to securely mount the body in the support and retain the insulating member 14 in'position.

It will also be apparent that after the hooks are once in this position any tendency to bend the side members 16 outwardly away from the body will be prevented by the hooks 2O engaging the sides of the recesses 21, and if these hooks are located at the free ends of the side portions 16 they will have a maximum holding'efiect and there will be very little liability of the sides 16 of the support being forced away from the body in handling, mounting, or other use. This makes a very strong and rigid support for the body and one that is not liable to fail in operation. It also does away with the necessity of molding any inserts in the body, and may be very quickly and easily assembled. The insulating plate 14 may have notches 22 at its opposite ends to receive the side members 16 to insure that the plate 14 will be held in proper position.

In Figs. 4 and 5, is shown a slightly different construction of the securing hook. In this construction instead of bending the free end of the tongue downwardly to form the hook, as shown in Fig. 1, the tongue'23 is made substantially T-shape with a cross bar 24 at its free end, and when in assembled position seats in a similarly shaped recess 25 formed in the front wall of the body 10. This tongue is cut from the side members 16 of the support 15 the same as the form shown in Fig. 1, and operates to hold these members against separation from the body the same as does the first form.

Having thus set forth the nature of my 1nvention, what I claim is:

1. In an electric wall outlet device, an insulating body member, a support for said body extending across the back thereof and forwardly at the opposite sides of said body, cooperating shoulders on the body and said forwardly extending portions at the forward part of the body to prevent movement of said portions laterally away from the body, and means on the support whereby it may be mounted in a wall box.

2. In an electric wall outlet device, an insulating body having recesses in its front wall spaced from its opposite ends, a support for said body extending across the back thereof 0 and forwardly at the opposite sides of said body, a hook on each of said forwardly extending portions engaging in said recesses 1n the body to prevent separation of sa d portions from the body, and means on said support whereby it may be secured to a wall box.

3. In an electric wall outlet device, an insulating body member, a substantially U- shaped support for said body arranged with its central portion extending across the back of the body and the leg portions at the opposite sides of the body, said body being provided with recesses in its front wall adjacent and spaced from the opposite sides thereof, hooks on the side portions of the support engaging in said recesses, and said support being provided with means whereby it may be mounted in a wall outlet box.

4. In an electric wall outlet device, an insulating body member, a substantially U- shaped support for said body arranged with its central portion extending across the back of the body and the leg portions at the opposite sides of the body, cooperating means on the body and said leg portions to prevent movement of said portions laterally away from the body, said means including recesses in the body and extensions on the legs to enter said recesses and means on the support whereby it may be mounted in a wall box.

5. In an electric wall outlet device, an insulating body member, a substantially U- shaped support for said body arranged with its central portion extending across the back of the body and the leg portions at the opposite sides of the body, said side portions being provided with laterally extending ears whereby the support may be mounted in a wall box and also provided with hooks, and

said body being provided with shoulders engaging said hooks to prevent separation of said side portions laterally from the body.

6. In an electric wall outlet device, an insulating body member, a substantially U- shaped support extending across the back and along opposite sides of said body and provided with. ears for mounting it in a wall box, said support being provided with hooks cut from the side portions thereof and extending inwardly toward the body, and said body being provided with shoulders cooperating with said hooks to prevent separation of the side portions laterally away from the body.

7. In an electric receptacle, an insulating body having contact chambers opening through the rear wall thereof and knife blade contact slots in its frontwall leading to said chambers, contacts in said chambers, an insulating member on the back of said body closing said chambers, a support extending across the body at the back of said insulating membody, said support and insulating member serving to hold the contacts in the chambers against the rearwardly pushing action of the knife blade contacts as they are forced into the receptacle, and ears on the support for mounting it in a wall box.

8. In an electric receptacle, an insulating body member a substantially U-shaped support for said body arranged with its central a portion extending across the back of the body and the leg portions at the opposite sides of the body, said body having recesses in its front wall spaced from the sides thereof, hook members struck from the said leg portions, said hook members being bent over the front of the body member and into the recesses to prevent movement of said portions laterally away from the body, and means on the support for mounting it.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARVEY HUBBELL, JR. 

